Common Areas

Common areas are the parts of a jointly owned property that belong to all unit owners collectively rather than to any one of them: lobbies, corridors, lifts, structural elements, roofs, parking circulation, pools, gyms, gardens and the land itself. Each unit owner holds an undivided share in the common areas proportionate to their unit, and that share is inseparable from the unit — it transfers automatically with every sale. The classification matters in concrete disputes: who pays to fix a leaking roof or a façade defect (the service charge budget, not an individual owner), whether an owner can enclose a balcony or claim part of a corridor (no, without the prescribed approvals), and what developers may retain or sell separately, which Dubai's jointly owned property law restricts. The jointly owned property declaration for each project defines precisely which areas are common, making it the first document to consult when a boundary or cost dispute arises.